Saturday, 8 May 2004

Gay men and lesbians can marry in the Netherlands, but have little about the border. Only sixteen countries recognize the rights of these couples. In the other 176, so almost anywhere in the world, gay marriage before the law means nothing. Your partner can not just them. On holiday in Nigeria? If your visa form that you fill same-sex partner, you run for the chance to end up behind bars.

Martha McDevitt-Pugh, of American descent and living in the Netherlands, launches tomorrow why the Love Exiles Foundation (Love Exiles). During a Thanksgiving dinner last year she noticed that the Netherlands 'thousands' to couples who suffer from the lack of recognition. Her wife, the Australian Lin, explains: "There many gay couples living in the Netherlands because they could not otherwise. We see it in the U.S. too. As more people move to Canada, as well as their rights are safeguarded. "

Love Exiles is giving attention to the hidden group of refugees because of lawlessness at home elsewhere "in exile" life. "And the Dutch government can also slightly harder to sound the alarm. Only then can other countries be requested to the rights of married couples to recognize. "

The lack of rights, according to Lin McDevitt-Pugh very distressing consequences. Say you're outside the Netherlands and one of the partners dies. Then the widow or widower often not empowered to make decisions. "And since we want the public awareness of it. We live here in the Netherlands on an island. And an island is not enough: we want the world. "